Why I'm Running for RBBCSC School Board

Hi, I'm Kelly Scholl and I am running for the Edgewood School Board because I want to serve our community and help our schools be the best they can be.

My Background in Education

Education has been at the heart of my professional life for more than two decades. I spent 12 years as a K–12 educator, first teaching eighth-grade science and physics at a small junior-senior high school in Hope, Indiana, and later teaching physics, AP Physics, and Earth Science at Center Grove High School.

I loved being in the classroom, and I have missed it ever since I left. At that point in my life, however, I needed a career that allowed me to spend more time with my own children and family. I may have left the classroom, but I never left education.

For the past 11 years, I have worked at Indiana University supporting faculty across all IU campuses as they strengthen their teaching. Higher Education faculty bring extraordinary knowledge and expertise to their classrooms, but many have had little formal preparation in how people learn or how to design effective learning experiences. I have found tremendous joy in helping educators translate what they know into teaching that helps students succeed.

Still, my heart remains in K–12 education—and, especially, in the Edgewood community. As both an educator and the parent of two children in Edgewood Schools, I want to put my experience to work for the students, families, teachers, staff, and neighbors who call this community home.

My Campaign

My campaign is centered on three priorities: communication, safety, and transparency.

COMMUNICAITON

Strong relationships begin with strong communication, and meaningful communication must be a two-way street. It cannot consist only of emails, phone calls, or announcements sent to families. Parents and community members should have meaningful opportunities to ask questions, share concerns, offer praise, and understand the decisions affecting our schools.

If elected, I want to be an accessible listener and a conduit for those community voices. A single board member cannot independently resolve complaints or make decisions on behalf of the full board. I can, however, listen carefully, help people understand the appropriate process, ask thoughtful questions, and make sure community perspectives are part of board-level conversations.

SAFETY

Safety is equally important. When I talk about safe schools, I mean more than secure buildings and protection from outside threats, although those are essential. I also mean freedom from bullying and harassment. Safety also means the psychological and emotional safety students need to learn, participate, make mistakes, and grow. Our students should be treated with dignity and should never be made to feel that embarrassment or shame has to be a part of their education.

Edgewood Schools already does many things well. I also believe there are opportunities to strengthen how concerns are received, addressed, and communicated. I have experienced moments when responses were delayed or families were left uncertain about how a concern was being handled. While privacy and legal responsibilities sometimes limit what a school corporation can share, and for good reason, families should still understand the process, know their concerns have been taken seriously, and receive timely communication.

TRANSPARENCY

That leads to my third priority: transparency. Great schools are built on trust, and trust grows when leaders communicate openly—not only when things go well, but also when something does not go as planned. No school corporation, organization, or individual is perfect. We all make mistakes. Transparency means being willing to say, “Here is what happened. Here is what we learned. Here is what we are changing. And here is how we will be better moving forward.”

That kind of honest, constructive communication does not weaken a school system. It strengthens relationships and builds community confidence.

If elected, I intend to be a collaborative, thoughtful, and student-first board member. Someone who listens, asks questions, studies the evidence, and remembers that we are all on the same team. I want our board meetings and community conversations to reflect a shared commitment to helping every Edgewood student thrive.

I invite you to share your hopes, questions, and concerns with me. Together, we can build even stronger communication, deeper trust, and a positive future for Edgewood Schools.